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Our defense against hard times is honest and heart-felt fellowship with a friend accompanied by steaming cups of tea and something wonderful to eat. -Sally Clarkson (tea time quotes)
Knowing Nathan and Keelia would be coming home for Christmas in Colorado and that we would not be there, I wanted to prepare for their coming to make it warm and cozy. I set 2 tables with Christmas plates, hung stockings and sprinkled Christmas cheer around the house. Each year for 30 years, I have hosted a Christmas Tea to gather friends, new and old and to cheer them over delicious food and fellowship. it has been a rhythm that has helped keep us faithful through the years. (You can read more about it in The Lifegiving Table)
Jesus was all about relationship and friendship as He modeled to His disciples what true ministry was—reaching the heart through relationships, love and serving—I talked about this on my podcast today.
Fritatta: Listen on the podcast—A Quick Dinner with Eggs, Veggies, crisp cheese and fresh bread (I bought mine today!)—a favorite in our house
Music: Michael W. Smith, Christmas Time & Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant Play List on Spotify
Books: James Harriott Treasury for Children
Movies: James Harriott Season 2 Television Series (PBS or Channel 5) or the Christmas Special
Call the Midwife: Christmas Special 2015
Foundational verses for leading me in my life of serving God:
Seek first the kingdom of God. (Matt 6: 33)
Go into the World and make Disciples (Matt. 28:18)
He looked out on the multitudes and had compassion on them. Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the harvest. (Matt. 9: 37-38)
Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt. 22:37-38)
Jesus, kneeling down in the dusty floor, mingling his hands with toes, dirt and smell, lovingly touching and firmly wiping the feet of His beloved friends, amidst stench, noise and eating, laughing, living. Reaching their hearts, souls and minds with the depth of the call of the kingdom was an embracing of the reality of daily life amongst full-blooded, crusty, men, hungry to fulfill a life's purpose that captivated their deepest longings to see that their lives mattered..
Jesus didn't just talk about having a ministry from a broad, tall pulpit with a resounding microphone, while disappearing between sermons. He lived a deeply personal life with words and instruction as well as integrity and generous love demonstrated in each moment of every day and he served and bowed his knee to meet the needs and desires of those He loved. He taught compassion, and then he demonstrated it by healing the sick, touching those with leprocy, drinking water with the prostitute, holding and caressing children, feeding those who were hungry.
Each of us longs to be a part of a great cause, an epoch story and each of us longs to belong in the hearts of someone in the world who cares for us. We can exist within the mundane moments of motherhood or marriage or work longer if we know and understand that somehow it is meaningful to our over-arching life story and heritage, a history that we are passing on, when we daily stoop to serve, and patiently give of our energy to meet the needs of others.
But we long to know our lives can make a real difference, that our being alive and making right choices isn't just about duty, but about a heart-gripping reality that will make a purposeful impact in the lives of others- and to know that someone cares about our life sacrifices and investment of our time.
We need to recognize these same needs in the heart of our children. "Our children's hearts long ot be a part of a great cause. Training our children for ministry needs to be at the center of everything we are attempting to do with our lives. Serving God and loving Him is not about knowing all of the right rules and keeping them; it is about cultivating compassion in the hearts of our children for a lost world and showing them how they can be a part of His great plans for them to reach their world in their lifetime." The Mom Walk
Jesus called his disciples away from tasks to make an imprint on history, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men!" "Go into the world and make disciples." "These uneducated men have turned the world upside down."
Paul and Peter were willing and joyfully sacrificed their lives because they knew, they deeply understood, they were a part of the movement of the Spirit of God to redeem the world for their creator, they were kingdom laborers. The passion in their heart gave them the power to serve. Service without heart kills the soul.
And so, when we seek to disciple our children, it is cultivating in them a vision for their importance to Christ's work, a hope that they are needed to fulfill a kingdom cause--with their unique personality and skills, and then giving them practice in serving others as they grow up in our homes, which are the center of ministry. It is about them watching us serve and being caught up in the beauty of our loving, giving to, serving and inspiring others from the integrity and compassion of our own hearts and lives, that their hearts will be captured.
Hearing about ministry, seeing ministry taking place and giving them a place to serve and be needed is the process of captivating their hearts with a passion that will last them their whole lives is the process of shaping them into life-long disciples of Jesus. Discipleship is not about indoctrination, discipleship is heart work.
Several years ago, our ministry team wanted to extend this encouragement and inspiration to women all over the world. I've been encouraging moms in Christ for over forty years. I've mentored and discipled women personally, in small groups, in Bible studies, and through events and conferences.
In the past two decades, God has also allowed me to touch many more lives, both in the states and internationally, through my books, blogging, podcasts, and webinars.
I still love connecting with so many women in all those ways, but Life with Sally is a unique online community. I hope that it can be become a breath of fresh spiritual air for you.As an older mother now of four grown children and three beloved grandchildren, I invest my time there to give back to moms like you the wisdom and truth I've learned in my long mom walk with God.
Our membership, Lifewithsally, helps to support our ministry, our staff, our projects and missions outreach. We are so appreciative of those of you who support Whole Heart Ministries financially or by being a member.
We could not grow without your generosity. But this year, we also want to give back. We know there are so many who have lost jobs, have had crisis in their lives and cannot afford to become members. If this is you or someone you know, we want to give a scholarship to you of one year of our membership as a sort of Christmas outreach. Fill out the form and let us know your needs and we will hope to gift you a membership to encourage you and bless you. Go here to fill out the form: https://forms.gle/eW2Wv2rEesvy8qve7
We pray that each of you has a wonderful week. Know that we consider it a privilege to serve you. Thanks for being a part of our ministry. Remember:
Quote of the Week: “Every meal should be a celebration of life itself as we break bread and enter fellowship together.” Sally Clarkson, The Lifegiving Table
